First restore (attempt) - Feedback and guidance, please

[TracyLee]

Hello everyone.

I've been looking through the gallery and reading the forum posts, and am so impressed with the quality of work here.

I'm in the process of doing my first restore for OPR; I've got some PS experience, but very little restoration practise. I've spent a lot of time on the photo below, but have more work to do. I'd really appreciate some feedback and pointers as to what is wrong and where to go next. Be brutal - I can take it :)

Thank you in advance,

Tracy

[Tess (Tassie D)]

Welcome to the forum TracyLee. You've made a wonderful start on this photo. :up: The only thing I see it still has quite a red tint to it. I'd try adusting the red down a bit in it. Don't ask me how you do that in PS, I dont use it.

[kiska]

Tracy, it's great to have your help. ALL you newbies try to remember to REMOVE the personal info BEFORE posting your images.

Go to (in ps) FILE>FILE INFO. Highlight it and delete. Thanks!









The basic starting point for color correction is LEVELS then CURVES. This usually gets you in the ballpark.

[glennab]

Welcome Tracy

Your restoration work is spot on.  Once you lose the red cast, I think you'll be able to send her home.  You might want to check out our tutorials on color correction, because they make a huge difference.  Most of us color-correct before doing anything else to the image.

I'm glad you've joined us!

GK

[Mhayes]

Hi Tracy,

Great to see you on the forum. Your restoration is looking good and the advice for color correcting will help with the color cast. I totally agree with doing your color correcting first, then restoring. This will save you a lot of time. If you are signed into the forum, look to your left at the box that is a link to the Official OPR Hanbook. This is a 22 page PDF that has tips on color correcting. Hope this helps.

Margie

[TracyLee]

Hi again.

Thanks so much for the input, and for bringing my attention to the red colour cast. I'd been looking at the photo for so long I guess I didn't even see it:-) I'll apply some levels and curves adjustments and see where that goes.

Sorry about leaving in the file info - I've removed it and re-uploaded the pic.


edit:
PS: regarding workflow - I got started backwards, saving the colour changes for last, but now realize it should come first!

[mitzs]

Hi Tracy nice to meet you. Glenna suggest I use the hue/saturation to get rid of the red tint on mine. I just pulled the saturating slider down. However, mine was already a b&w photo so not sure how that would work on a color picture but it is worth a try. And what I do on the level is click the alt button on my keyboard before I click the black tab it will turn everything back and move the slider till you start to see specks then pull back till you see none. I do that with the white tab too. It doesn't work with the midtones tabs though. Anyway, thought I would just share that with you in case you didn't know it yet. It has always given me good results when I've retouch family and friends photos. 

[klassylady25]

Katherin Eisman - make a level layer. runs each level separately - bring the dark and the light to the corner where the color begins.  After doing that I took my paint brush, chose a color from the background (not the red) and painted over the red hue.  I, then, did an overlay on the eyes to bring them out and just a bit of a screen to lighten and there you have it!  Different approaches from everywhere.  Take your choice. 

[Ausimax]

It might be important to note: Only remove the file info from photos you are posting to Photo Hosts- NOT on the restored photos you upload to OPR, or there will be photo distributors tearing their hair out because they can't identify who the photos belong to.

What a way to get back, for over enthusiastic use of the grunge machine. >:D


Max

[TracyLee]

Thanks for the tip, Max - I only removed the info from the copy that I uploaded for this forum.

Candice - great job on the photo. I've filed away your tips for future reference.

For this photo I relied primarily on curves, levels and removing the colour cast in variations...